1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is directed to a sliding door with several panels in which an open panel can be placed in front of a closed panel.
2. Discussion of Background Information
French Patent Nos. 2053406, 2126621, 2438728, 2475615, 2420443, French addition certificate 2250011 and European addition certificate 85400375 describe sliding doors or parts of sliding doors having various disadvantages. For example, large forces are necessary for maneuvering heavy and high doors, premature deterioration occurs in casters which skid, guiding systems have a large bulk, and, on vehicles undergoing geometric variations, discontinuities in heat insulation, air-tightness and water-tightness occur.
EP-201717 has also proposed doors intended to be vertical both in their open position and in their closed position and which are connected for this purpose to sliding units which are coupled to them by connection means which are deployed both at the top part and the bottom part of the door frame. However, the door structures proposed in EP-201717 would be difficult to produce for doors with large dimensions. Further, the means of connection between the sliding units and the panel would in this case, in fact, be very highly stressed. Furthermore, these doors would not be very easy to operate.